On Tuesday, 24 December 2024, at around 6:30 P.M., dozens of settlers, riding ATVs and escorted by two military jeeps, arrived at the community of Kh. al-Halwah in the South Hebron Hills. They came from the direction of an outpost set up about two months earlier, approximately 500 meters from the community homes. The settlers and soldiers claimed they were looking for a goat allegedly stolen by residents of the community. They wandered around the community, entering houses and caves and ransacking them.
Meanwhile, about 12 more settlers, armed with clubs and knives, arrived at the other side of the community and entered six homes. The settlers attacked three of the residents, pushed them, beat them, and cursed them. Then one of them grabbed Jamil Abu ‘Aram (64) and ordered him to sit on the ground while another settler stole his wallet, which contained his ID card and 1,120 NIS (~ USD 300). The settlers smashed the window of a car belonging to Abu ‘Aram’s son, punctured its tires, broke two light fixtures and stole two more, cut sacks of wheat and animal feed, and ransacked the homes they entered. When the women of the family shouted at the settlers and demanded that they leave, the settlers pushed and beat them as well. After about 15 minutes, the soldiers gathered all the settlers, including those who attacked the houses on the other side of the community, and took them about 50 meters away from the houses. Jamil Abu ‘Aram asked one of the soldiers to get his wallet back and the soldier promised to see to it, but then the soldiers and settlers left without returning the wallet.
A short while later, the settlers returned to the community on ATVs and drove around, shining lights at the homes until 1:30 A.M.
On Wednesday, 25 December 2024, Abu ‘Aram and his son filed a complaint at the Kiryat Arba police station.
Jamil Abu ‘Aram, 64, recounted what happened that day in a testimony he gave B’Tselem field researcher Basel al-Adrah on 25 December 2024
A group of about 12 settlers holding clubs and knives entered my house and my sons’ houses. One of the settlers grabbed me tightly and ordered me to sit down, and then another settler stole my wallet from my pocket. My ID card and 1,120 NIS (~ USD 300) were in it. The settlers dragged me and my two sons, swore at us, and beat us. Later, I discovered that while we were being attacked, other settlers who were looking for a goat smashed the window of my son’s car, punctured two of its tires, cut sacks of flour and animal feed, emptied the closets and kitchen cupboards, broke two lamps, and stole two more. My wife, my daughter, and my sons’ wives shouted at the settlers to stop what they were doing, but they beat them and pushed them into one of the tents. The settlers stayed in our houses for about 15 minutes, and then soldiers arrived and moved them about 50 meters away from the houses. I asked one of the soldiers to get my wallet and ID card back, and he said I’d get it in a few minutes, but after about five minutes, the soldiers and settlers left together without giving anything back to me.
After a short time, the settlers came back, drove around the community in tractors, and shined flashlights on the houses until 1:30 A.M.
The settlers didn’t only damage our property. They frightened and terrified us, especially the children, who couldn’t sleep after because they were afraid we’d be attacked again. After the attack, the settlers went back to the outpost they came from, which has become a source of anxiety in our lives.
On Wednesday, 25 December 2024, I went with my son to the Kiryat Arba police station, and we filed a complaint about what happened to us.